Government

Chairman Smith flips on county tax increase

Two weeks after losing his bid for reelection, Fayette County Commission Chairman Jack Smith — who campaigned on his record of opposing countywide tax increases — has decided a tax hike might be a good idea after all. Read More»

Commission skeptical about need for new Fayette judge

While Fayette County’s judicial circuit caseload meets state thresholds for adding another superior court judge, the concept wasn’t well-received by the Fayette County Commission Wednesday afternoon.

Will Simmons, the court administrator for the Sixth Administrative Judicial District, said the county’s four judges, — who also hold court in Spalding, Pike and Upson counties — were handling the workload of an additional 1.33 judges. Read More»

Horgan appeals ethics slap

Fayette County Commissioner Robert Horgan is challenging an independent panel’s finding that he violated the county’s ethics ordinance by possessing a misdemeanor amount of marijuana in his truck May 23, 2009.

Last week Horgan’s attorney Rick Lindsey argued to senior Superior Court Judge Byron Smith that Horgan was not acting as a county commissioner at the time, and was not in a county-owned vehicle, so he should not be held to the county’s ethics standards for the infractions.

Horgan is asking the court to overturn the ethics ruling. Read More»

School bond tax rate to drop 52%; $177 lower on $250K home

It is nice to get some tax relief. And that will likely be the case come tax time for Fayette County property owners since the Fayette County School System’s debt service millage rate is expected to decrease by 52 percent, down to 1.65 mills.

School system Comptroller Laura Brock told members of the Fayette County Board of Education last week that the proposed debt service millage would decrease to 1.65 mills, a 52 percent decrease from the current 3.42 mills. The decrease would amount to a savings of approximately $177 on a home valued at $250,000, Brock said. Read More»

F’ville could eliminate distance barriers between churches, alcohol

The Fayetteville City Council Aug. 5 heard the first reading of a proposal that would do away with the distance restriction in shopping centers and on the Old Courthouse Square that separates churches from businesses serving alcohol. The second reading and vote will occur at the council’s Aug. 19 meeting. Read More»

New route approved for F’ville Christmas parade

The Fayetteville City Council Aug. 5 approved a new route for the Main Street Christmas Parade to be held Dec. 4. The route will begin and end at the Fayette County Justice Center southeast of town after making its way through a portion of the downtown area.

Main Street Director Brian Wismer in promoting the new route said city staff, along with the Fayetteville Police Department, devised the new route that will begin at the Justice Center and proceed west to South Glynn Street. The parade will go north to Stonewall Avenue, east to Lee Street and back to the Justice Center. Read More»

Painting got ‘boulder,’ so rocks at McIntosh are out

It was not the case of a mysterious disappearance of the “senior rocks” in front of McIntosh High School that had long been “decorated” by rising seniors. It was a case of going to extremes and learning the lesson that actions have consequences.

The object of school-spirited graffiti by rising seniors and others for many years, the large rocks positioned by the north entrance to McIntosh on Walt Banks Road have been removed after the most recent incident where far more than the rocks were involved. Read More»

No new cart parking added for McIntosh

Student golf cart parking on campus at McIntosh High School isn’t going to get much easier this school year.

The school has repaved and restriped its golf cart parking lot which has 388 spaces. But those arriving late will have to park on adjoining grassy areas that are available, according to Fayette County Schools spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach.

The school did not add to its golf cart parking area over the summer, despite a request from city officials. Read More»

Commission to review new rules for PTC celltowers

New rules governing the location of new cellphone towers will be discussed Monday night by the Peachtree City Planning Commission at its regular meeting at City Hall at 7 p.m.

Among the proposed new requirements is for the wireless companies to conduct a visual impact assessment including a balloon test to demonstrate the height of the proposed tower and support facilities. The balloon must be flown for at least eight hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. with the date, time and location of the balloon test made public in a legal advertisement. Read More»

Planners to review PTC annex proposal Monday

A proposal to annex undeveloped 77 acres just outside south Peachtree City to make room for a relocating industry will be considered by the city’s planning commission Monday night.

The planners will also be considering restrictions on walking advertisements at the behest of the City Council. The commission meets at City Hall at 7 p.m.

The annexation proposal is for Low Temp, which is currently located in Jonesboro and manufactures kitchen equipment for use in hospitals, restaurants and schools across the nation. Read More»